


Finding Love Again

by QueenReginaWinchester



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, Bandit!Emma Swan, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-15
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-04-04 13:59:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4140405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenReginaWinchester/pseuds/QueenReginaWinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Evil Queen had heard about the bandit Emma Swan, but she had yet to meet her; until she had the pleasure of robbing Regina's carriage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding Love Again

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic so any criticism or anything; it will be welcomed

Regina stared out the window and sighed, gazing at the enchanted forest before jumping as the carriage stopped, groaning in aggravation. “Now what?!” She exclaimed. Emma jumped to the side of the carriage, throwing the door open to grab the queen's bag, "Sorry, a girl’s gotta eat." She smirked and slammed the door shut behind her, taking off into the forest. Regina widened her eyes and stormed after her, appearing just before her in a cloud of purple smoke, her expression predatory.  
"And where do you think you're going?" Emma grumbled, "Of course, just my luck. I robbed the Evil Queen." She rolled her eyes and pulled a dagger from her pocket, "Stay away from me. All I'm trying to do is survive in this terrible kingdom, you're not doing too well of a job of ruling it."  
"And who are you to decide how my kingdom should be ruled?" She threw the thief’s dagger out of her hand with a twist of her wrist.  
"Why should I tell you my name? So you can put it on bandit posters all over the forest?" Emma grumbled and backed away from the Queen slightly. Regina narrowed her eyes and realized who the smaller woman was suddenly, lifting her chin and smirking. "Emma Swan...the bandit who continues to rob royal carriages..." She snarls, glaring at her and stepping forward.  
Emma backed up again, "Yeah, and you didn't have a problem with my banditry until I stole from you. Great job being queen." She rolled her eyes, "If you were a real queen, you would have caught me sooner."  
"But alas, I have caught you now." She smirked and looked her in the eye, striding towards her.  
"Have you?" Emma smirked as the Queen walked across a trip wire, causing her to get caught in a net. "Nice try. But you can't catch me." Emma took off deeper into the forest. She groaned in frustration and clenched her fist, appearing near Emma again and making the branches on the trees twist around her wrists.  
"Nice try...but I never give up that easily..." Emma struggled against the branches, her wrists getting cut on the bark, "What? Are you gonna kill me now?" She glared at the woman.  
"Kill you?" She laughed and stood in front of her. "Now, why would I do that...?" Her lips twitched upwards in amusement. "I have so many...more interesting things planned for you..." She purred. Emma furrowed her eyebrows and groaned in disgust, "What is more…interesting to you. You're the Evil Queen, killing is what you do." She pursed her lips and placed her hands on her hips. "And stealing is what /you/ do. You are not making a very good point, Miss Swan."  
"Exactly, and I stole from you. Now why aren't you going to kill me like you do everyone else who crosses paths with you?" Emma continued to struggle to break free from the branches. She thought about it for a moment, asking herself why indeed she was not killing the bandit. "Because I can do so much worse..." She concluded and smirked, stepping forward. Emma snarled at the woman, "Worse? What's worse than death? Torture? Are you going to torture me?" She grumbled, Emma wasn't afraid of this woman. Yes, she may have power but Emma would stick up for herself no matter who tried to hurt her.  
"Maybe...maybe not..." She grinned, staring into her eyes and tilting her head. Emma gazed into her eyes, getting lost in them for a moment before she threw the bag at Regina, "If this is really that important to you, here. Now let me go."  
She smiled, pleased, picking up the bag and nodding. "Thank you, Miss Swan." She opened it and checked it before attaching it to her belt. "I will agree to let you go, if you give me a reason." She grinned predatorily.  
"A reason?! Seriously! I just gave you what I took, isn't that enough?" Emma was getting so frustrated with this woman, who did she think she was? The Evil Queen obviously but she didn't have to be so sadistic. Regina could see the other woman's frustration and smiled, shaking her head.  
"That, belonged to me. I would have taken that anyway. Now, a reason, or your immanent death."  
"I won't steal from you. Ever again. Just other people. I'll even steal things for you if you want something." Emma couldn't believe her own words but she would do whatever she had to.  
She grinned widely and nodded. "That is more like it." She licked her lips and smirked. "In fact, I believe I have something I need stolen right away...a test to your...devotion towards your promise" She purred the words and loosened the grip on Emma’s wrists, who squeezed her eyes shut: she couldn't believe what she had just agreed to, "Fine, what is it? What do you want me to take?" She smirked and looked up at the trees overhead. "Something else that was stolen from me..." She looked back at her again. "A potion. You will find it in a castle a few miles west of here." Emma nodded, "I'll get it. Just tell me, whose castle am I going to?" She asked softly as she took in a deep breath.  
"Rumpelstiltskin."  
Emma's eyes widened, "I'll die in there! He'll kill me before I can even reach the curse." She was slightly terrified of the Dark One.  
"No, he won't. He is not even there." She placed her hands on her hips again. "He is away, pursuing some...prince." She waved her hand and rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't have a problem retrieving the potion." Emma smirked, "Okay fine. And if I get the potion, will I get anything in return besides my life?" She asked as she tilted her head slightly. Regina huffed a little and bit her lip in thought. "What...would you request?" Emma grinned, "How about the safety of your castle? I'm sure you have enough rooms to spare one for me." Emma smirked. She narrowed her eyes and lifted her chin. "Then I believe we have a deal, Miss Swan" A hint of a smile tinted Regina's lips. Emma smiled slightly, "I would shake your hand to set the deal, but my hands are tied." She joked and looked at her wrists. Regina smiled briefly and removed the restraints, flicking her wrist and looking away to hide her smile. "There."  
Emma rubbed her wrists and held her hand out, "You've got a deal, Evil Queen." She smirked at the woman, maybe she wasn't as evil as she led on. She quickly fixed her smile into a smirk and shook it gently. "Your Majesty would do..." She banishes the thought of letting Emma call her 'Regina'.  
Emma nodded, "Well, Your Majesty, I've better get going. I'll be back soon with your potion." She pulled her hand away and started walking towards the Dark One's palace. Regina watched her walk away and smiled slightly, whispering, "I am looking forward to it..."  
A short while later Emma snuck into the Dark One's castle with little difficulty, grabbing the potion and running out of there quickly. She stopped once she got to the Evil Queen's castle, walking inside without hesitation, "Your Majesty, I have your potion." Regina looked up from her desk, smiling and nodding.  
"I am impressed, Miss Swan." Emma smirked and set it on her desk, "Are you now?"  
She picked up the red potion and nodded again.  
"Yes. Very, in fact." She looked up and met the thief’s eyes.  
Emma looked into her eyes then looked away, "I'm glad that I could get what you needed. What are you going to use it for?"  
"I don't believe that is any of your business..."  
"I think it is. I did get you the potion back after all." She crossed her arms over her chest, "It’s not like I'm going to try to stop you from using it." Regina huffed and looked away, holding it in her hand, confessing, "It is to be used on myself."  
"Wait, why? What does it do?" She asked softly, she was surprisingly concerned for Regina's safety. She sighed heavily and traced the designs on the vial with a slender finger. "It heals a heart...whether it is broken emotionally or physically." Emma furrowed her eyebrows, "You don't need a potion to heal a heart, Your Majesty. That's what love is for..." She spoke softly and gazed down at the ground.  
"Sadly...I no longer have that..." She swallowed and closed her eyes, not sure why she was telling her this, or why she felt that she could trust the woman.  
"You can have it again…If your heart is broken that means it works. You can still find love." Emma somehow felt a connection to the queen. She shook her head, this was like Stockholm syndrome. This was wrong. But she couldn't help her feelings. She laughed bitterly and shook her head. "Do you not think I have tried?" Regina wiped at her cheek and swallowed the lump in her throat.  
Emma sighed, "Maybe you just haven't found the one yet. Love takes time." She whispered. Regina smiled sadly and looked up at Emma, her eyes glassy. "Too much time, apparently."  
She frowned at the sight of the woman's expression, "You deserve happiness as much as anyone else…May I ask you something, Your Majesty? What's your name?"  
She looked at her lap, not used to hearing such kind words directed at herself. "Regina."  
"Do you mind if I call you that from now on?" She asked softly as she looked into Regina's eyes when her gaze lifted. Regina got lost momentarily in the younger woman's eyes, nodding a little. "Yes...you can..." She bit her lip to hide a smile. Emma smiled slightly, "Thank you Regina. Thank you for sparing my life and for giving me a home." She spoke softly.  
The Queen felt her heart swell slightly and smiled genuinely. "It is a pleasure...Emma."  
Emma smiled, "If you need anything else stolen, just let me know. But I need to warn you, there's something of yours that I have an eye on. I may just steal something of yours." She spoke softly and gazed down at the ground. Regina raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and smirked. "You do? And what is that?"  
Emma grinned and placed her hand on Regina's chest, "Your heart…" She whispered.  
Regina gasped softly and blushed deeply, looking into her eyes. "M-My...heart...?" Her lips parted slightly. Emma smiled and nodded, gazing up at her, "I know I said that I wouldn't steal anything of yours but..." She shrugged with a small smile. Regina struggled for words and bashfully looked down. "I believe that you are already in the process of that..."  
Emma smiled, "I am?" She moved her hand to place it on Regina's cheek, "If I can steal it this easy then maybe I can heal it too." Regina blushed even deeper and managed a smile, feeling her heart doing all sorts of crazy things. "Maybe..." She smiled shyly and placed a hand on her wrist, not moving it, just holding it gently. Emma couldn't hold back anymore, she leaned in to press her lips to Regina's gently. She pulled back a while after, resting her forehead against Regina's, "I'm sorry…I…I just had to do that." Regina tried to regain her breath, feeling something fantastic wash over her. "D-Don't apologize..." She smiled gently and rested her hands on the smaller woman’s delicate waist. Emma smiled as her hands rested against Regina's cheeks, "When I robbed your carriage, I definitely did not expect this to happen." She whispered with a soft giggle. The queen let out a small laugh and nodded, smiling and looking deep into Emma's eyes. "Neither did I."  
Emma gazed into her eyes, "You're beautiful... I find it hard to believe that you haven't found love." She whispered and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She blushed deeply once again and smiled, looking at her feet. "I did...once..." She smiled sadly and wrapped her arms around Emma's waist. Emma frowned and wrapped her arms around Regina's shoulders, "Oh, I'm so sorry," She whispered and held Regina close to her, who rested her forehead against the younger woman's shoulder, biting her lower lip before grinning up at her.  
"It is fine...I have found it once again..."


End file.
